Hindrance of Healing

part 2a – Return to Nazareth

Jesus could heal only a Few Sick People!

· This miracle was performed by Jesus

· received by people in Nazareth.

Background: Mark 5 - Jesus Heals in Response to Faith

· large crowds were present among Jesus as He ministered to the sick and performed miracles

· there, a woman was healed of 12-year-old hemorrhage

· later, Jairus’s 12-year-old daughter was resurrected from the dead

· but before the young girl was raised up, the crowd was sent out – because they laughed at Jesus when He said she was only asleep.

· Jesus sent the mockers away because their lack of faith could have HINDERED His power, possibly preventing Him from healing the girl.

· We will see later (in Mark chapter 6) that unbelief hinders the work of the Lord.

Mark 6 – Jesus returns and rejected at Nazareth again

· The terminology used during this visit is different from that of Luke 4, which seems to indicate a second visit

Mark 6:1–6 (NLT)

Mark 6:1 (NLT)

1 Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown.

returned – not used in Luke 4

· same town that tried to throw Him off the cliff in Luke chapter 4

· disciples are with Him – Jesus is no longer alone

· Grace factor – Jesus revisitsthe town that rejected Him!

· we need to thank God that His mercies are new every morning!

· He is the God of second chances

· Would the hometown of the Messiah finally acknowledge what every other town knew and get it right this time?

Mark 6:2 (NLT)

2 The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?”

· amazement – 1605 ἐκπλήσσω [ekplesso /ek·place·so/][1]

o astonished, shocked, to be blown away

o same amazement as His first visit

· wisdom - 4678 σοφία [sophia /sof·ee·ah/]

o skill and discretion in imparting Christian truth

o the knowledge and practice of godly and upright living

· power to perform – 5495 χείρ [cheir /khire/]

o the hand of God

· miracles - 1411 δύναμις [dunamis /doo·nam·is/]

o inherent power, might, strength, force, ability

even though the same phrase is repeated by the parishioners, it does not automatically mean that Mark’s account is a duplicate of Luke chapter 4.

· Instead, it means the congregation never learned their lesson from the Lord’s first visit!

· What was repeated was the crowd’s improper response to the grace, love, and power of God!

first, God’s PRESENCE needs to be given the HIGHEST value and honor

· They should have HONORED the Lord that He would “grace” them with His presence!

· second, God’s WORD needs to be given the HIGHEST respect and dignity

· They should have hung on every Word that proceeded out of His mouth!

But alas, they did not…. AGAIN

· instead, they rejected the Messiah AGAIN…

Mark 6:3 (NLT)

3 Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

Matt 13:56b = “Where did he learn all these things?”

· In the same synagogue where THEY were taught! Jesus was fertile soil! they must have been the rocky road Jesus warned about in the parable of the Sower.

· Isn’t it amazing how, sitting under the same teaching, that one can flourish in God and the other remain ignorant?

· scoffed – no Greek word for it

· “They were deeply offended and refused to believe” (all one word in Greek) = 4624 σκανδαλίζω [skandalizo/skan·dal·id·zo/]

o to put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, upon which another may trip and fall

o to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey

o to see in another what I disapprove of and what hinders me from acknowledging his authority.

o to cause one to judge unfavorably or unjustly of another.

o one whose foot gets entangled feels annoyed

o to cause one displeasure at a thing.

o to make indignant.

o to be displeased[2]

“displeased” – the Bible prophesied that in our day, that many in the church would feel the need to be pleased with someone to scratch their “itching ears”. (see 2 Tim 4:3)

2 Timothy 4:3 NLT

3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.

Demons recognized Jesus, congregation did not

· If even the demons He expelled referred to Him as “Jesus of Nazareth”!

· Why would not those FROM Nazareth see the same?

Call to Action: See God for Who He IS, to receive what God HAS

not who you think He is

not for who books say He is

Not for what He looks like

Not for who he sends in your path – a friend, a pastor, etc.

Don’t let your preconceived ideas block the truth of God’s Word.

Are you missing out today based on a misconception of God?

Are you missing out today based on things of the past?

examples – hurts or misunderstandings

Answer – Read God’s WORD and receive God’s WILL – for your life!

His WILL is to bless, heal, and forgive you – but you must give Him permission.

part 2b – Return to Nazareth

Mark 6:4 NLT

4 Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.”

· prophet = 4396 προφήτης [prophetes/prof·ay·tace/] [3]

o one moved to speak by the Spirit of God, as His spokesperson, solemnly declares to men what he has received by inspiration, especially concerning future events, the kingdom of God and human salvation

· honor = 820 ἄτιμος [atimos /at·ee·mos/] – despised

· IOW, the people failed to give Dignity to His Divinity

The Irony of His Deity –

· Jesus usually refers to His humanity while people magnify His deity.

· For example, Blind Bart called Jesus the Son of David, while Jesus described Himself as “the Son of man”.

Conversely, Here we see Jesus’ hometown focus on Jesus’ humanityand downplay any acceptance of His deity,

which was exactly just the opposite reaction of all the surrounding cities

Identity – Jesus usually calls Himself – The Son of Man -

Jesus rarely asserts His authority – but in this case He did by describing Himself as a prophet.

hometown, relatives, family = country, cousins, clan

the Hometown dis-advantage = familiarity – the F WORD

Mark 6:5 NLT

5 And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them.

· unbelief, couldn’t = 4160 ποιέω [poieo /poy·eh·o/]

o their answer was no to a question with an obvious yes, so that Jesus could work, produce, or carry out nothing

heal = minor ailments

Mark 6:6 NLT

6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people.

Matthew 13:58 NLT

58 And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief.

amazed – 2296 ἐκθαυμάζω, θαυμάζω [thaumazo/thou·mad·zo/]

unbelief = 570 ἀπιστία, ὀλιγοπιστία [apistia/ap·is·tee·ah/]

· unfaithfulness, weakness of faith

· this was the same reason why Jesus rebuked the apostles for fear of a storm while at sea

· unbelief is equal but opposite to godly faith

You can amaze God – either Good or Bad!

examples of amazement:

· Jesus marveled (in a good way) at the faith of the centurion who believed for his servant’s healing by Jesus simply giving the command

· The disciples marveled when Jesus spoke to the storm, causing it to cease

Yet this crowd caused Jesus to marvel at their UNBELIEF!

· Why? Jesus came from heaven where God’s Word is NEVER questioned, debated, doubted, rejected, refused or denied!

· Unbelief at God’s spoken Word was the very reason the priest Zacharias was struck dumb by the angel Gabriel when he prophesied the birth of his son, John the Baptist.

· Yet here is One greater than any angel, speaking the WORD of God from the very MOUTH of God!

God does not always get His way

· It is always God’s will to heal! That is one of the reasons why Jesus came to the Earth.

· (See Isaiah 53:5) By HIS stripes WE are healed!

· It IS true that Jesus will heal everyone, of anything at any time.

· That statement is still true, even though not everyone WAS healed.

· How do we explain this apparent contradiction?

HUMAN will often trump GOD’S will

· The most powerful gift that God gave to man, other than salvation, is the freedom of choice.

· Even salvation relies on the freedom of choosing God.

· If you do not choose God’s WILL, you will not get his WAY

· Jesus did not even get his WAY in his hometown of Nazareth!

· His desire was to heal everyone.

Life Lesson: God has it, but if you don’t want it, you won’t get it. –

· examples – healing, prosperity, salvation, answers, etc.

Call to Action - Don’t let unbelief block your healing!

Let God have HIS way – in YOU

How? By believing and receiving His love for you. The healing will follow!